ADMINISTRATION

Value-based supervision

Lisa Shepard and Mark D. Freado

Effective supervision, particularly of front-line
staff, is one of the most important tasks any education or treatment
program must perform. This article provides an overview of effective
supervision using principles and values based on interviews with staff
and leaders in re-education programs.

Supporters as colleagues, teachers, and
supporters
Of the people who have worked in re-education for 20 to 25 years (a few
even longer), most started as teacher/counselors. While some continue in
the classroom, many were promoted to supervisory or administrative
positions. When we asked these veterans what was fundamental in their
development as treatment professionals, almost all identified at least
one supervisor who supported them through the many troubling issues that
arise when working with seriously troubled children. They described
these trusted mentors in these terms:

–I never felt stupid for asking a question.”

–I felt I could go to him/her about anything; they
cared if I got better at my job.”

–I understood the rules; even though I felt like I was
working without a net, I felt their support.”

–It was clear that we were in it together.”

Teacher/counselors could name their supervisors from
20 years ago and identify what the supervisor’s role had been for them
personally. All used the word “teach.” These supervisors could
operationalize each of the Re-ED principles.

The supervisory function
Supervisors make the program go. They are the link between what we’re
supposed to be doing and what we’re actually doing. They ensure that
what we do is consistent with Re-ED values.

Supervisors in our programs have a dual function in
management and clinical areas. They are responsible for functional
tasks, such as scheduling staff. They share human resource
responsibilities, keep staff aware of agency rules, licensing
regulations, and other tasks. In the clinical domain, they monitor
implementation of treatment plans and assist teacher/counselors in
understanding and utilizing ReED-philosophy. They help the
teacher/counselor learn to see beyond the behavior to “the kid inside
the kid.” They help translate the philosophy of strength-based practice
into action steps for staff.

Is there such a thing as a natural supervisor or a
natural leader? We believe there is, but that is not saying a good
supervisor cannot be taught. Supervisors need to be both good managers
and good leaders. Being too much of one and not enough of the other will
disenfranchise the teacher/ counselor staff who are, after all, the
backbone of the program. A teacher/counselor who is now an administrator
recalled how difficult being a teacher/counselor was for him. He was
able to perform the mechanics of daily life, and he was genuinely good
at his job. But every day was a struggle since building relationships
with the kids was not natural or comfortable. He was fortunate enough to
work with his good friend who was a natural teacher/counselor. His
teammate had the uncanny natural ability to relax with the kids, to find
joy in the job, and to believe in the inherent goodness of the kids with
whom he was working. The fledgling teacher /counselor was determined to
learn because he wanted to be good at his work. He saw it as a personal
challenge and made it his business to do this work well. He modeled many
of the behaviors of his colleagues because, “I saw how different it was
for me than for my teammate.” Just as we believe that kids can become
competent, so we believe that our staff can be taught.

Preparing new supervisors
Many programs lack the procedures to identify potential supervisors or
begin a process that will prepare them to perform this responsibility.
Often staff are promoted to supervisory positions for random reasons,
among them:

(1) they have performed direct-care responsibilities
in an acceptable to exceptional manner,

(2) they have expressed interest in the position and
engaged in the appropriate political and program actions necessary for
consideration, and/or

(3) they–ve stayed around long enough (sometimes as
little as six months), and they are first in line to fill that critical
position.

Many survive an unprepared transition to
supervision, but at a cost to the individual, the staff being
supervised, and the children and families they serve. If a program’s supervisors are not competent, they will impede program quality from
reaching its highest potential “even when direct service staff are
basically competent.

While the interpersonal tasks involved in being
either an effective teacher/counselor or an effective supervisor are not
dramatically different, the transition between leading kids and leading
adults can be challenging. Both roles involve:

(1) supporting through understanding,

(2) teaching needed skills,

(3) building on strengths, and

(4) providing fair and effective accountability.

But the supervisor must also have the ability to
create and sustain balanced relationships. Striking a balance between
the personal and professional aspects of a relationship is imperative.
The supervisor must make the expectations for staff growth and
development clear, but this can be in a personally supportive manner.

Preparation to become a supervisor ideally begins
under three conditions:

(1) a staff member has grown into the direct care
position she/he holds and demonstrates some competency across the
responsibilities of the job,

(2) the staff member is interested in assuming
supervisory responsibilities, and

(3) the organization recognizes supervisory potential
and identifies tasks to help the staff member grow in a way that
promotes supervisory skills. This might include helping with training of
new staff and participating in administrative /regulatory activities.

Creating and sustaining supervisors from a
principle-based perspective
The process of creating effective supervisors from within the program
begins early, with the orientation they receive when they are first
hired for a front-line role. That initial experience gives them a sense
of the scope of the program and introduces them to the values and
principles of the program. How leaders represent themselves and the work
of the program in the initial exposure with new staff sets the stage for
all that follows. Staff who have the opportunity to begin with an
understanding of positive, strength-based interventions are better
prepared to work with our youth and families. Holding credentials is no
guarantee of prior preparation for the job, and the job of sharing our
values and approaches with new staff is essential, regardless of
credentials.

Under the best of circumstances (having effective
training and support), it takes perhaps six months for someone to become
an effective teacher/counselor. It is little wonder they aren’t ready to
supervise other teacher/counselors at that time. In healthy programs,
where staff are trained and turnover is minimal, there is rarely the
pressure to have to push someone so inexperienced and unprepared into a
critical middle management position.

Once a strong foundation of principles and skills
has been laid, programs should begin to seek and cultivate future
leadership from within. There are a number of ways to identify
prospective supervisors from among those who express interest and even
those who do not. Prospective supervisors absorb the training they
receive and then work hard to actualize that training in their work.
They are the ones who ask questions, seek feedback, and request support
to help them improve. They participate in treatment meetings in an
articulate and balanced manner.

As prospective supervisors become more comfortable
in representing themselves as teacher/ counselors, it is important to
involve them in some aspects of administrative experience. They can be
incorporated, formally and informally, into the training of new staff.
They are often able to relate their recent, direct-care experiences in
ways that address the practices as well as the principles. By helping to
bring in new staff in a safe and competent manner, they are already
providing one of the most important aspects of effective supervision:
leadership. They will have credibility, not just for what they–ve done,
but also for what they are doing. That will help build their
self-confidence as well as respect from those they may supervise. From
formal presentations in the program-training curriculum, they can extend
their reach to making presentations in regional, state, or national
conference forums.

Supervisors as managers and leaders
Likely leaders should be exposed to the mechanics of effective
supervision. Ideally, they will see positive models firsthand in the
supervision they receive in their program. The essential ingredients for
effective supervision are:

knowing the job to be done

being able to teach the skills necessary to do
it

being present to observe the implementation of
those skills

providing verbal and written feedback and
retraining as needed

creating opportunities to enhance and broaden
the learning

providing timely, clear and fair evaluations and
professional development plans

These components can be taught by example in the
classroom. If these functions are covered, one can become a good
manager. If these can be combined with a positive vision that brings
principles to life, the manager is also a leader.